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On a magical sunny day, in the month of August (2015), we decided to spend a day with the young monks of the Chemdey Monastery in the village of Sakti. Our friends, artist, Abhishek Singh, musician and drum-jammer Kumi Masunaga and her lovely daughter Aya, came with us to share their talents, their skills and to spread joy! We were also accompanied by my little daughter Samira, my husband, our Ladakhi friends and Sushil, a Mumbai-based photographer who captured some glorious moments!

Assembling hula hoops

The young monks from Chemdey Gonpa school participated in ice-breaking musical activities that Kumi had designed for them. Abhishek introduced them to a few art activities, took them through the process of creating their group artwork and showed them stunning visuals from his comic book. Aya demonstrated how to ‘hula-hoop’! We also set up a book corner in the school.

The young monks were keen to learn and listened carefully to the process, enjoyed drawing and colouring, asked questions and at the end, proudly exhibited their artwork in the woods!

Kumi is a Japanese percussionist and a drum circle facilitator who lives in Hong Kong with over fifteen years of performing, teaching, and facilitating experience. She has worked with a range of ages and cultural backgrounds, designing, planning and executing programmes. For more- www.drum-jam.com

Aya is natural performer. She sings, dances and has lead her “Circle Game” playshop for groups of children at events. She has acted in youth musicals, theatre play and some TV commercials in Hong Kong. She speaks English, Japanese and basic Cantonese and Mandarin. Here engagement with the children we visited, has been both endearing very valuable!

Abhishek Singh is artist,animation film-maker and graphic novelist who currently lives between his studios in Brooklyn, New York and Mumbai. Whenever possible he retreats for a meditation trek in the Himalayas. For more – www.abhishekartstore.com

Photo courtesy, Sushil, Kumi and Abhigya

In the slideshow you will see- Chemdey Gonpa, the village of Sakti, the monks at play and at work, receiving their Ladakhi copies of ‘Chuskit Goes to School’ , a group photo and more.

Happy New Year! We’ve been receiving lots of inquiries into volunteering and collaborating with us for 2016. As winter has set in and schools are on a vacation (until mid-March), we are yet to finalise plans and shall be utilising this time to do so. Please watch this space for future updates and volunteer application forms. Thank you!

As a new area of expansion this year, we are interested in publishing translations of select children’s books in Ladakhi. Our first is a Ladakhi translation of ‘Chuskit goes to School’, in collaboration with Pratham Books.

‘Chuskit goes to school’ is a story about a disabled Ladakhi girl who dreams of going to school, making friends, learning maths and playing games. Written by Sujatha Padmanabhan and illustrated by Madhavanti Anantharajan, it has been translated into Ladakhi by Gen Konchok Phanday.

We are raising funds to have Chos skyid slob grva’a cha’a nog published, printed and shipped to Ladakh for Ladakhi children. Contributions are welcome. Email: avalokitesvaratrust@gmail.com or call +919622140328